Busy-ness

I know, I know, I haven't posted here in awhile! My mother is pestering me daily about it. But my bloggerly absence must be forgiven for the following reasons:

1. I'm teaching Othello this week and giving my students their Midterm and reading up on literary criticism so that I can teach my students all about literary theory next week. It's the ickiest time of the semester, both for my students and myself.
2. I just started a new part-time job at a bakery/cafe in Lawrence. I like it a lot, but I'm pretty well whupped after every single shift. I'm not used to being on my feet that long, or carrying large coffee urns and dish tubs, or talking to that many people in a single day. I know that I'll get used to it in a few weeks, once my brain and body have adjusted, but right now, I'm doing a lot of passing out at 10:30. On the upside, I've learned how to use an industrial oven, how to make espresso, the difference between lattes and cappuccinos, and how to make some killer smoothies over the last few days. And that is awesome.
3. I'm finishing up my application for a full-time teaching job here in Kansas City. The job would be a great fit for me, but the application is a pain: it requires a full electronic application, a cover letter, a CV (a resume for academics), a teaching philosophy, and an essay about what a student should expect from me as a teacher. If I get it, the job will be more than worth the hassle of applying, but the process is sucking up all my writing juices right now! And so the blog suffers.
   

So there are my excuses, like them or not. I'll probably be slow about posting until early February, but I assure you that I haven't abandoned you, gentle readers! I'll be back, after many, many hours of sleep . . .